Last Saturday’s Xfinity Series race at Iowa Speedway was Ryan Preece’s last-ditch effort to prove his worth on the national NASCAR stage and he delivered with by putting the No. 20 in victory lane for Joe Gibbs Racing.
A modified star from the Northeast, 26-year-old Preece secured two Xfinity races with JGR with the backing of companies that sponsor his modified career.
NASCAR America analysts Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte discussed Preece’s gamble and the difficulty for drivers of his era to gain large sponsorships to advance their careers.
“It’s an unfortunate topic, but it is the real world of NASCAR today that at his age, with his resume, even with that win, I think he needs financial backing and a sponsor to move into any full-time commitment from any of these NASCAR owners,” Letarte said.
Said Burton, “I like Ryan Preece a lot. I spent a lot of time with him this February in New Smyrna, we were pitting next to each other at the World Series of Asphalt event. ... He is a racer, there is no question. I’d like to see it work out for him.
Preece will join NASCAR America live in studio on Thursday.
Watch the above video to hear more about Preece’s big win.